Frozen Pipe Prevention

11/4/2024 (Permalink)

Frozen pipes are a sure way to water damage in your home, but how do you prevent frozen pipes in the winter? Our friends at American Family Insurance share some great tips on keeping your pipes from freezing.

The best way to prevent your home’s pipes from freezing is to keep them from being exposed to the cold. Here’s how:

• Cover exposed pipes in crawl spaces or attics with insulation sleeves.
• Re-route pipes to an inside wall.
• Use caulking to seal cracks in the foundation or walls that let cold air in.
• Disconnect garden hoses and turn off the water supply to spigots.
• Keep cabinet doors open below your sinks to allow warm air in.

Other ways you can winterize your home from frozen pipes remove all the hoses from the outside water supply.  Once you have drained and stored the hose away, open up the outside valve.  This will allow the remaining water to drain and allows the pipe to expand without breaking. You should also consider a pipe sleeve to install over the outside water line to insulate and keep ice from forming. 

The American Red Cross gives great ideas on preventative action during cold weather to consider to keep your pipes from freezing as well.

• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

There are many way to keep your home safe from winter pipe breaks.  Please feel free to reach out to SERVPRO® of East Louisville at (502) 897-3608 if you need any help with your home.

Why Pipes Freeze

11/4/2024 (Permalink)

If your pipes are exposed to temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for an extended period of time, the water can freeze and cause extensive damage to your home. This can be avoided!

Frozen pipes can occur for two basic reasons:

1. Installation of pipes in an unheated space without adequate protection
2. Insufficient heat in the area of the freeze

What types of pipes are susceptible this situation? Domestic water piping, HVAC heating and cooling piping and sprinkler piping are all vulnerable if left in cold and unprotected conditions as stated above. Plastic and metal pipes can burst when they freeze, and depending on the size of the pipe, even a small crack in a burst pipe can spew hundreds or even thousands of gallons of water in a day.

Why does a pipe burst, anyway? Well, when water freezes, it expands. The ice expansion will exert pressure against the pipe wall but also pressurizes the water trapped between the ice and a closed valve or fixture. As the water continues to freeze and expand inside the pipe, it causes the trapped water to continue to increase in pressure, thus, just as a can of soda will burst in your freezer, so does your water pipe.

Some common locations where pipes will freeze are outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, fire sprinkler lines and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas. These areas include basements, crawlspaces, attics, garages, bathroom sink cabinets and kitchen cabinets. Pipes along exterior walls that have little or no insulation, voids in the insulation or improperly installed building wrap are subject to freezing. You might want to check in on that sooner rather than later. Review the International Plumbing Code by clicking here.

With any questions or if your home has been water-damaged, call SERVPRO® on our 24/7 Emergency Service line, (502) 897-3608.

Fire safety this winter

9/25/2024 (Permalink)

When a fire strikes no one is ready for the emotion and fear they can instill.  In most cases families can be displaced for months on end, contents are destroyed,  and memories are lost.  Recently, SERVPRO® of East Louisville was called to a home that had heavy smoke and soot damaged caused by a small appliance that had shorted out.  A television in the back bedroom of the home had caught fire causing extensive damage to the bedroom and bathroom.  Luckily no one was hurt in the fire, but now the process of cleaning up all the  soot and tearing out damaged materials throughout the home has begun.  SERVPRO of East Louisville understands the process of cleaning a home or business after a fire.  We also have the capabilities to do the reconstruction once the mitigation is complete.  We work hand-in-hand with the home owner making sure that we can transform the residence back into a home they can make new memories in for years to come.

With the Holiday season upon us statistics show that November-January are the months when fires are most prevalent. It's important to make sure that your family has a plan in place in case a fire of a fire.  Here are some tips to keep your family safe during the upcoming Holiday Season.

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.
• Test smoke alarms every month. If they’re not working, change the batteries.
• Talk with all family members about a fire escape plan and practice the plan twice a year.

If a fire occurs in your home, GET OUT, STAY OUT and CALL FOR HELP. Never go back inside for anything or anyone.

Sump Pump Failure Cleanup

9/25/2024 (Permalink)

SERVPRO® of East Louisville recently got called to a home where the sump pump had failed and the customer had four inches of standing water in his basement. When SERVPRO of arrived on site there was no longer four inches of standing water but there was still a good amount of water throughout the basement. SERVPRO performed the necessary actions to remove the water and moisture from the basement using extraction methods, fans and dehumidifiers. When the dry out was finished our repair division replaced all the damaged drywall. 

In some cases your home owners insurance may not cover sump pump overflows. This is a good reminder to take a look at your home insurance policy to make sure you have coverage for sump pump failure. Sump pump fails are very common and you might want to make sure it is included in your home insurance policy. This slight increase in your monthly insurance cost could save you thousands of dollars in the future.  

Frozen Pipe Prevention

11/1/2023 (Permalink)

Frozen pipes are a sure way to water damage in your home, but how do you prevent frozen pipes in the winter? Our friends at American Family Insurance share some great tips on keeping your pipes from freezing.

The best way to prevent your home’s pipes from freezing is to keep them from being exposed to the cold. Here’s how:

• Cover exposed pipes in crawl spaces or attics with insulation sleeves.
• Re-route pipes to an inside wall.
• Use caulking to seal cracks in the foundation or walls that let cold air in.
• Disconnect garden hoses and turn off the water supply to spigots.
• Keep cabinet doors open below your sinks to allow warm air in.

Other ways you can winterize your home from frozen pipes remove all the hoses from the outside water supply.  Once you have drained and stored the hose away, open up the outside valve.  This will allow the remaining water to drain and allows the pipe to expand without breaking. You should also consider a pipe sleeve to install over the outside water line to insulate and keep ice from forming. 

The American Red Cross gives great ideas on preventative action during cold weather to consider to keep your pipes from freezing as well.

• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

There are many way to keep your home safe from winter pipe breaks.  Please feel free to reach out to SERVPRO® of East Louisville at (502) 897-3608 if you need any help with your home.

Why Pipes Freeze

11/1/2023 (Permalink)

If your pipes are exposed to temperatures below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for an extended period of time, the water can freeze and cause extensive damage to your home. This can be avoided!

Frozen pipes can occur for two basic reasons:

1. Installation of pipes in an unheated space without adequate protection
2. Insufficient heat in the area of the freeze

What types of pipes are susceptible this situation? Domestic water piping, HVAC heating and cooling piping and sprinkler piping are all vulnerable if left in cold and unprotected conditions as stated above. Plastic and metal pipes can burst when they freeze, and depending on the size of the pipe, even a small crack in a burst pipe can spew hundreds or even thousands of gallons of water in a day.

Why does a pipe burst, anyway? Well, when water freezes, it expands. The ice expansion will exert pressure against the pipe wall but also pressurizes the water trapped between the ice and a closed valve or fixture. As the water continues to freeze and expand inside the pipe, it causes the trapped water to continue to increase in pressure, thus, just as a can of soda will burst in your freezer, so does your water pipe.

Some common locations where pipes will freeze are outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, fire sprinkler lines and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas. These areas include basements, crawlspaces, attics, garages, bathroom sink cabinets and kitchen cabinets. Pipes along exterior walls that have little or no insulation, voids in the insulation or improperly installed building wrap are subject to freezing. You might want to check in on that sooner rather than later. Review the International Plumbing Code by clicking here.

With any questions or if your home has been water-damaged, call SERVPRO® on our 24/7 Emergency Service line, (502) 897-3608.

Fire Safety in East Louisville

10/1/2023 (Permalink)

This month October 2023 SERVPRO® of East Louisville tries to educate how to stay safe in case of a fire. Your local fire station provides lifesaving public education in an effort to drastically decrease casualties caused by fires. See what programs your local fire station offers.

Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware, fire can happen anywhere, anytime.

LOOK - for possible fire starters. Take a good look around your home. Identify potential fire hazards and take care of them.

LISTEN - for the sound of the smoke alarm. You could have only minutes to leave your home safely once the smoke alarm sounds. Go to your outside meeting place, which should be a safe distance from the home and where everyone should know to meet.

LEARN - more than one way out of every room and make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily and are free of clutter.

Squish, Squish, Squish!

10/1/2023 (Permalink)

Squish, Squish, Squish! The customer walked into the house and across their wet carpet and all that they could hear  was the squishing noise with every single step.

The first thing SERVPRO® did upon arrival was to assess the damage and discover the source of the water.

Once we found the source from where the water had come from, and was able to stop the leak by turning the water off, it was time to start mitigating the damage.

The customer new to call SERVPRO of East Louisville to get to work right away to remove the excess water and start drying out their home.

The crews at SERVPRO of East Louisville are professional and precise throughout the entire job process. After the job was completed and the crews left, the customer finally realized the meaning of "Like it never even happened."

Tips from SERVPRO to Reduce Flood Damage and Property Loss

10/4/2022 (Permalink)

When a flood is imminent, and you have time before you need to evacuate, there are different things that you can do to decrease the amount of damage from floodwaters. These should only be done if there is enough time – you should never risk the lives of others or your own, in attempting to act on these tips. 
 
There is not immunity to the effects of flood damage in East Louisville Jefferson County and this harm can include effects caused by increased levels of humidity in the air inside your home. Higher levels of humidity can cause photographs to stick together and also permit mold to start growing on otherwise seemingly mold-free garments, among other things. 
 
SERVPRO can always help undo the damage to your home, but you are in charge of your safety and that of your family. Floods are responsible for thousands of dollars in damage every year, and many deaths, as well. Here are some suggestions that can reduce the damage from a flood. 
  
Move more fragile belongings to a higher level. 
Simply taking items higher, such as electronics, television sets, stereos and speakers, computers, to another floor, or even to the attic, can keep these items from ever being touched by the dirty water that floods are known to bring. 
 
Guard your food. 
Food that is even slightly submerged cannot be consumed. Microbes can settle on indentations in cans and under the rims, posing risks even after food has been cooked correctly. Boxed foods should be placed in a large garbage bag and taken to a higher level to protect the packaging, and the contents, from high humidity levels. 
 
Canned foods should be placed in sturdy boxes and also stashed in a safe location. Pathogens such as e-Coli produce toxins that are not removed or rendered inactive by cooking, making the food dangerous to eat. Food that is refrigerated or frozen might be able to be saved if it can be placed higher-than-normal in the refrigerator, but this is not guaranteed to protect the food, and everything should be examined upon your return before preparing any of the contents. 
 
Open upper floor windows slightly. 
Having windows open a slight amount can allow humidity to escape. During a flood, while it may seem like there is water everywhere and that humidity levels remain the same everywhere, this is not true. Humidity inside your home can become elevated rather quickly. Higher levels of humidity travel to areas of lower levels until an equilibrium is reached. However, do not open windows completely, as this can allow rain to enter, making matters worse. 
 
As you go through your home, have a basket or two to place items in that must go with you when you leave. 

When you evacuate your home, you will most likely need certain things while you are in a shelter or temporarily living with friends or family. These should include important items and anything else you want to protect, such as photo albums. Keys to vehicles and doors, personal identification and other documents, both prescription and non-prescription medications, cell phones, chargers, baby monitors, and few days' worth of changes of clothing for yourself and family members. Personal items and even memorabilia that are located in easy-to-reach areas that do not require any extra time to grab and place in your basket can help ease the stress of having to relocate temporarily. 
 
We at SERVPRO of East Louisville live in the same area as our customers, and we know how damaging floods can be when they affect our homes. We are always here to help your family return home as quickly as possible. Call us at (502) 897-3608, and we can begin working within an hour on restoring your home.

Big Or Small, When It Comes To Storms, We Help With Them All

10/4/2022 (Permalink)

Whether it is a tree blown over onto a 10 year old home, or a city leveled by an EF4 tornado, SERVPRO is here to help folks recover when storms damage their homes or businesses. 

SERVPRO of East Louisville crews are ready to be dispatched all over the country to assist in the cleanup and restoration after major flooding, strong storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, and any other event that causes damage to property.  

While it can be a stressful time for homeowners and/or business owners in the aftermath of a flash flood, tornado or hurricane, it doesn’t have to be! SERVPRO derails with these types of disasters every single day and can help to walk you through even the most complex storm damage scenario.

Our crews are HERE to HELP and make things “Like it never even happened."  We treat each job with respect and do our very best to keep the customer informed every step of the way.  

SERVPRO of East Louisville is proud to be a part of the Disaster Recovery Team!